Geographic patterns in county mortality rates from cardiovascular diseases

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular epidemiology
• Geographic health research

Background:

• Cardiovascular diseases, including coronary heart disease (CHD) and cerebrovascular disease (CVA), represent a significant public health burden.
• Understanding geographic variations in mortality rates is crucial for targeted public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To map and analyze age-adjusted mortality rates for CHD and CVA across US counties.
• To investigate the relationship between geographic variables (latitude, longitude, altitude) and cardiovascular mortality.

Main Methods:

• Calculated age-adjusted mortality rates for white males and females aged 35-74 for CHD and CVA.
• Utilized multiple linear regression to assess the predictive power of geographic factors on mortality rates.
• Mapped mortality patterns to identify regional clusters.

Main Results:

• Mortality patterns for CHD and CVA showed regional similarities to previous decades.
• CHD mortality was highest in the Southeast and lowest in Plains/mountain regions.
• Longitude was a significant predictor for CHD mortality, explaining approximately 30% of the variance; CVA mortality in females showed weak geographic correlation.

Conclusions:

• Geographic factors, particularly longitude, are associated with cardiovascular disease mortality.
• Further investigation into variables correlated with longitude is warranted to understand underlying causes of cardiovascular disease disparities.